7 Tips for Successful Hard Candy Making
- Choose Your Recipe
Decide whether you will be making the small Hard Candy Recipe or the Large (Double) Batch Hard Candy Recipe.
- Prepare Your Molds
If making molded candy, ensure you have plenty of heat-resistant hard candy molds. Candy can also be poured onto prepared cookie sheets or a marble surface and broken into pieces once cooled. Another technique is to pour the hot syrup in long ribbons into powdered sugar. When the candy is cool enough to handle, it can be cut into small pillow-like pieces with oiled scissors.
- Stay Organized
Calculate how much sugar, corn syrup, and flavoring you will need based on the number of candy batches you plan to make. It’s also helpful to have two cooking pans available – one to use while the pan from the last batch is being cleaned.
- Master the Process
Heating a sugar/corn syrup/water solution to 300 – 310° F (150 - 155° C) turns it into a hard, smooth, transparent confection. Using a candy thermometer is recommended for accuracy. Be sure to test the thermometer’s accuracy in boiling water before use. After boiling the mixture, wash down the sides of the pan with a wet pastry brush to prevent uncooked sugar crystals from reintroducing into the candy syrup.
- Be Prepared
Before you start, gather all necessary ingredients, pans, measuring cups, molds, utensils, and supplies. Take caution as hard candy making involves high temperatures. Have a bowl of ice water in your hand just in case of accidental exposure. Children can assist with certain tasks but should not be involved in cooking or pouring the sugar syrup.
- Experiment with Flavors
Feel free to explore various flavors and even combine them to create your own unique blend. You can also create sour flavors by adding a liquid flavor enhancer or coating the finished candy in a mixture of sugar and citric acid granules.
- Packaging Matters
Package your candy in a visually appealing manner. Lollipops can be wrapped in sucker bags and secured with a twist tie or ribbon, while pieces of candy can be placed in decorative boxes, tins, or other creative containers. Add a label to display the candy flavor. Store hard candy at room temperature in a dry place for a prolonged shelf life. Avoid refrigeration as it can affect the candy's texture.
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